A lone goddess, stranded—desert in space.
Weaved within the confines of oblivion, she waits, and waits, and waits.
Watching soul after soul pass by, returning to the cycle of reincarnation.
Millennia after millennia.
Eon after eon.
All until the perfect opportunity.
Atsushi
Hhhnngghh
Where the hell am I?
I could've sworn I was eating dinner—It took so long to make too…
Ow, what just pricked my hand?!
I'm on hay?
Sheesh, is this some sort of prank?
If it is imma beat somebody's ass—
This is no prank, child.
Gwah!
Owwww, I hit my fucking head!
Do not use such vulgar language.
What're you?!!
Hmph, wouldn't you like to know?
Yes! I would!
What the hell is some weird thing doing in my head?!
Do not call me a "thing", I am a fragment of the esteemed goddess Hadal.
This is the first I've heard of this goddess!
A mere mortal couldn't even begin to think about her excellence.
If I'm mere, what does that make you?
A fucking rat?
First of all, how dare you. Second of all, I already said not to use vulgar language.
What're you, my mom?
I can say whatever the frick I want.
I meant frick.
What the frick is happening?!
Did you turn off my cursing or some crap?!
That I did.
What the frick, man!
Ugh, whatever.
Where am I anyways?
…
…
…
Helllooooooo.
I know you're there!
Answer me!
Gosh darnit.
This cursing thing is really pissing me off!
Hey, I can curse to an extent.
Seriously though, where am I?
Didn't you say you were a fragment of that goddess?
Yes.
So you do respond.
Well, what exactly are you doing—why are you latched onto me, like a rat.
I am no such creature, and I am attached to you because of the will of the goddess.
That was awfully vague, rat.
Not surprising anyone though.
Could you at least give me some insight as to what's going on?
The goddess is trapped, and I am a vestige of hers. She was waiting for the perfect soul that I could adapt to, and found you, Atsushi.
I don't like you using my name, and that wasn't what I was asking about.
Have you not heard the question I repeated like what, five times already?
You are in an alternate world. In simpler terms, you have been reincarnated.
Reincarnation, hm?
I've only read about that in light novels or manga, doesn't the main character get some sorta cheat skill?
Hey rat, what's my cheat skill, hmm?
Do not call me—ugh, you know what, nevermind.
Answer the question!
Don't ignore me!
This special ability you speak of isn't a given, nor is the presence of your memories.
Oh really?
Then why do I have my memories, hmm?
The cause would be me.
No crap Sherlock.
Two things. Elaborate, and turn off the darn cursing thing.
I will do only the former.
I suspected as much.
Well, the floor is yours, rat.
Ahem. I needed to retain the memories and power from the goddess that I was given, so the usual force induced by the reincarnation cycle to remove memories and such was resisted by yours truly.
So me keeping my memories wasn't on purpose, it was just a side effect from your defence of your own memories?
You surprisingly explained it very well.
I'm proud of you, rat.
I don't need your approval, mortal.
Did I ask for your opinion?
Your sorry butt is leeching off of me, so I don't want to hear any complaining.
…
…
…
No response, eh?
I'm not going to jynx this blessing.
Mkay, so we're in an alternate world, and we got this little turd latched onto me.
A wonderful start.
Nngh
Well, wasn't that a fun sound.
When did standing up become so hard, I'm a teenager for Pete's sake, you'd think I'd be more flexible—not!
"Why hello young man, what are you doing here?"
Whaah, where the heck'd you come from?!
Old geezer just appeared behind me…
"Um…hello?"
"What brings you to my stable?"
Oh, that's why there's so much hay…everywhere.
How do I respond to him..?
Talking to people is so nerve wracking!
Respond with, "I was just checking the place out, sorry if I caused any inconvenience."
The rat can be helpful—noted.
"Um…I was just…checking the place out…s-sorry if…I caused any inconvenience…"
Hey, I managed to piece together a sentence!
Go me!
"Ah, well it's getting dark out, you should be headed home now."
"Home? Ah…okay…"
"Stay safe, it's monster season y'know."
Well haven't we found ourselves another problem.
Honestly, I haven't even begun to think about the essentials—water, food, shelter, the basics of freaking survival.
And monsters?
What the heck is this!
Oh come on, at least let me say heck.
No, it is foul language and you should learn to speak properly.
Why'd you always gotta be a buzzkill!
Sheesh man, just want to say a single curse word…
Treating me like a child…
That's because you act like one.
Jeez, what did I do to you?
Just trying to enjoy life and then you come along…
The only thing to be enjoyed in life is power.
Yup, a fragment of a goddess for sure.
What'd this goddess do to get trapped wherever she is?
She was not in the wrong.
Mhm, sure she wasn't.
Well, whether this goddess did something or didn't, we have to find a place to stay.
An inn maybe?
No, that would cost money, which we don't have, and you would have an anxiety attack from the amount of people.
Aren't you being awfully helpful?
Being considerate of my feelings and all of that.
Well, where would we stay then?
Perhaps the forest. There appears to be one nearby.
Hm, how'd you know that?
I sure as heck can't see that far.
The power of the goddess.
Where'd that helpfulness go?
Did you turn it off like you did my ability to curse?
…
…
…
No comeback?
That's what I thought—
Is that the best you've got? I thought mortals were supposed to be clever, but it seems your intellect is as lacking as your manners.
Damn.
Hey! Did you turn on my cursing just so you could hear that?!
You're lucky I'm not charging rent!
Ugh, kids these days, am I right?
Who are you speaking to?
Wouldn't you like to know.
Heh-he-he.
Anyways, despite our…disagreements, I think the forest is a good idea.
It's got all the essentials, so we should be set until we figure out what to do next.
Well, off we go!
Hm, hmm, hm, hm, hmm—
Can you please stop humming, it's immensely aggravating.
Make me.
Wait, how do I hum again?
What the hell did you do to my brain?!
I just tampered a bit, you asked for it. Literally and figuratively.
Touché
Hm? There's a guard…
I suspect another conversation.
Hold up, how did I die in the first place?
I was eating my dinner, but how did I die?
Hey, rat, do you know about this?
Even I cannot tell you.
Hm, well doesn't that suck.
Stop avoiding the eventual conversation with the guard and get it over with—we should set up camp before dark.
You're lucky I'm not questioning you more!
I'm sure you know just how bizarre this situation is, even though you're a prick.
"Hello young man, what are you doing so late out at night?"
Gwaaah, that freaking guard!
Scared the crap outta me, just like the geezer.
Hey rat, how do I respond to this?
Have I become nothing more than a search engine for you?
Yeah, yeah, now answer please!
Ugh. Just respond with, "I plan to go to the forest to camp out, I'm heading to the next town over."
Why can't you be this helpful all the time?
…
…
…
Yet another case of no response.
Oh right, the guard.
"Uh…I-uh…I'm go-going to the f-forest to um camp out… I-I'm heading to the next t-town over…"
I got two sentences out!
I stuttered through them, but I got them out!
Another win.
"Shouldn't a young man such as yourself be at home?"
Oh crap, I forgot about that…
Say you're an adventurer.
Another save from the rat, thanks.
"I-I'm an a-adventurer…"
"Ah, my apologies! Haha, seems like a lot of the adventurers these days are so young. Well, be safe out there, with it being monster season and all that."
Hm?
That old geezer mentioned there being a monster season.
Shouldn't we be concerned about that, rat?
I'm confident whatever comes our way I can defend.
Whatever you say.
Hm, these gates are pretty thick, they got large scratches on 'em too.
Isn't that awfully concerning.
…
…
…
Not going to comfort me this time?
I see how it is, I see.
Well, while we get to whatever this forest is called, let's give you a proper name.
Not that rat isn't a wonderful name, but I feel like the humor is one-sided.
I do not need a name, especially from a mortal such as yourself.
Well, would you prefer I continue calling you rat?
A fair point. Well, what do you have in mind?
How about Hanmoku?
What is this name's origins?
Hanmoku means discord, antagonism, or being at odds with someone, including a friend.
We are not friends.
Not yet!
Whilst I appreciate the enthusiasm, we are still not friends.
Well, the name just means the other stuff, I added the friend thing cause I thought we were friends—I guess not…
If that is an attempt to guilt trip me, you cannot do such a thing. Though, I accept the name nonetheless. Hanmoku it is.
Wonderful!
Also, I prefer you not call me Atsushi.
Friends, which you are in fact one, call me Atsu.
C'mon, say it!
Atsu…
There you go!
That wasn't too hard.
We've been walking for a while, the forest is still so damn far away.
Hanmoku, how long do you think it'll take to get there?
Approximately thirty minutes.
Ughhh, but that's so looooong.
Then you must simply wait.
Little did I know that those thirty minutes would be the most peace I'd experience in years.